


In the Eye of the Hurricane

by FantasticalNonsense



Series: ADOW Premiere Challenge Prompts [1]
Category: A Discovery of Witches (TV), All Souls Trilogy - Deborah Harkness
Genre: ADOW Premiere Challenge, Character Study, Episode 1.03, F/M, SPOILERS AHEAD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 12:17:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18476065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasticalNonsense/pseuds/FantasticalNonsense
Summary: "In the eye of the hurricane, there is quiet, for just a moment..." An introspective one-shot on Diana's emerging powers. For the ADOW Premiere Challenge Week ONE || Favorite main character(s) / Favorite action or magic moment(s).





	In the Eye of the Hurricane

**Author's Note:**

> I was supposed to have posted this during Week One's dates (April 7th-13th) but life caught up with me and I needed to do book rereads to flesh out the scene (some of Deb's descriptions were borrowed/altered for the purpose of conveying key concepts to non-book readers; rest assured, I make no claim to those parts, they are the property of the author). Hope you guys enjoy! 
> 
> "A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy)" is the property of Deborah Harkness and Bad Wolf Productions. The author makes no claim to these characters beyond the use of this fanwork.
> 
> ADOW Premiere Challenge: click [here.](http://fantasticalnonsense18.tumblr.com/post/183957270920/thewhyldeone-di-elle-di-elle)
> 
> Title and summary are taken from "Hurricane" from Hamilton: An American Musical. For listening, click [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IXFKdwdR_A)

How dare he. How _fucking_ dare he.

Words and images from the past few days rose unbidden in Diana’s mind as she stared down at Sean’s limp, unmoving form: Ashmole 782, Knox’s threats and intrusions, Gillian’s betrayal, her hands pulsing hot with magical energy, the photographs of her parents, bloodied and broken and beyond each other’s reach. And now, this.

She shook Sean, desperate to get a response from him. There was nothing.

It wasn’t enough for Knox to hurt her: he had to hurt her friends, too.

The air began to stir around her as she stood up. Chilly wisps gathered at the leg of her trousers and crept up her body, lifting her hair loose from its ponytail in a gentle breeze. It was as though the air was responding to her anger and frustration, a conduit for her to redirect. She turned to face Knox—

—and unleashed a storm.

Gusts of wind rushed through the Bodleian and sent the wizard flying over reading desks, accompanied by loose papers and fallen chairs. She had a vague sense of Gillian and the other witches being thrown back, too, but her focus wasn’t on them: it was on Knox.

Diana felt a jolt of satisfaction at seeing him brought so low, on his knees and struggling for something to cling to in the chaos. Good. Let that teach him to mess with her.

But the force of the wind kept rising; instead of flowing through her it swirled around her uncontrollably, raging throughout the library with no direction. It should have stopped. Why didn’t it stop!? Panic bubbled in her chest. She couldn’t breathe. Her legs began to shake.

Then, the wind knocked her down to the floor.

She struggled against the currents, her fingers scraping against the floorboards as she desperately sought purchase. Her chest constricted tighter with every feeble attempt. Adrenaline coursed through her, urging her to flee from the danger. But she couldn’t flee. She couldn’t do anything. She was trapped.

Another gust of wind slammed a dark-clad figure down next to her. Diana looked up and gasped in shock. It was Matthew.

“Don’t hold your breath!” he called out over the whirlwind. He outstretched his arms and beckoned her forth. She tried to open her mouth to warn him to stay away (vampires weren’t as impervious to the elements as she’d thought) but nothing came out except for frigid air.

“Just breathe, Diana!”

The wind was coming down harder, now. If she could just get to Matthew, then she’d be safe. She edged her way slowly towards him, fearful he’d disappear if she took her eyes off of him. He kept his fixed on her, a silent assurance that he wouldn’t leave.

Just a few more inches to go, then…

His arms were around her, pulling her in and pressing her against his chest. She grabbed a hold of him and hoisted herself up, leaning against him to stabilize herself.

Later, when they were out of the Bodleian and didn’t have the threat of witchwind hanging over them, she’d be able to reflect on the sensation that occurred while in Matthew’s arms. As she clung to him, she felt something stirring in the depths of her soul, unwinding itself link by link. It was a chain, a thick, rusty chain that had sat within her, unobserved, waiting for him. She felt it plunge to an unfathomable depth, deeper and deeper until it snapped to full length, anchoring her to Matthew. Binding them together.

She didn’t know what it meant, but she was certain of this: so long as she was connected to him, she was safe.

“I’ve got you,” he said, gently. “You’re safe.”

She breathed, and the wind died down.


End file.
